An exhausted but satisfied Nikola Jokic sat in front of his locker preparing to answer questions from the media following the Nuggets’ 126-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, not exactly sure what to think.
Just 30 minutes prior, the 22-year-old tied a bow on a clean 16-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist performance with a post sequence from the left block and series of moves on LeBron James that eventually ended in a bucket and might wind up in the Serbian’s Hall of Fame highlight reel if the second-year big man is ever awarded such an honor.
At the 2:45 mark of the third quarter, Jokic took the Most Valuable Player candidate into the post, head-faked over his right shoulder, pivoted back towards the paint and took three dribbles pinning James on his backside, turned and lofted a five-foot right-handed hook that splashed softly through the net.
Naturally, Jokic didn’t think much of the shot. Even after a sophomore season where the 6-foot-10 big man has poured in five triple-doubles and a handful of stat lines that make you do a double-take and question their legitimacy, Jokic was the first to try and water down the significance of the basket.
“I just tried to cut, then they switched. I think that’s a mismatch for us. I just tried to score. I didn’t think that it was him or whatever. I just wanted to score. That’s it.” Jokic said. “I’m feeling really good on the left block right now. I’m confident in my shooting, in my post moves, in my hook. I feel really good.”
Jokic’s basket was a slightly bigger deal to coach Michael Malone, who’s emotions and blood pressure ride on every win and every loss, especially with Denver in an all-out fight with the Portland Trail Blazers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
With the win over the Cavs Wednesday, Denver moves to 1.5 games up on Portland.
“That’s like the defining moment,” Malone said of Jokic’s shot. “LeBron will go down as one of the best players to ever play the game, and I’m biased because I coached him for five years.
“For Nikola, the whole crowd watching, probably anticipating ‘what’s going to happen here?’” Malone wondered. “It’s like a heavyweight fight and Nikola backed him down and finished and I think the crowd erupted in celebration because it was a defining moment for Nikola. That’s a great player. He’s scored on some other players but that’s one of the best players in the NBA, who can guard positions 1-5. So I’m sure Nikola will be showing that to his grandkids many many years from now.”
Following the win, the Nuggets’ locker room was “ecstatic,” according to Malone, and why shouldn’t they be? This was an enormous win for Denver coming off back-to-back losses to Houston. But all the talk postgame was about Jokic, isolated on the left block, going body-to-body with James.
“I didn’t think nothing of it,” Will Barton told BSN Denver about Jokic’s bucket. “That’s Joker. He’s an emerging star in the league and that’s his bread and butter in the post. I don’t care who’s playing him.”
“LeBron is great, but you’re not supposed to score on him?” Barton asked rhetorically. “You get what I’m saying. I don’t understand why everybody went so crazy. When he cooked LeBron, it’s not like I was like, ‘oh man!’ I expect him to score no matter who’s on him.”
Jokic’s deuce came at a pristine time for Denver. The Nuggets held a double-digit lead but the game was getting increasingly physical. Cavaliers’ coach Tyronn Lue picked up a technical foul just 25 seconds earlier and Cleveland seemed to be gearing up for one last run to close the gap.
Jokic’s bucket put a nail in the Cavs’ coffin.
“That was huge for us, just because everything that happened,” Gary Harris said. “(Tyronn Lue) got the technical, the game was getting a little chippy, but for Joker to go down there and get a bucket. I just felt the energy from the crowd, everybody felt it. It was definitely a great play.”
In the midst of a Most Improved Player campaign that’s gradually gaining traction, Jokic is slowly but surely making his presence felt around the league. After the Nuggets’ win over the Clippers last week, Chris Paul was quick to switch the subject to Jokic when asked about Denver’s youth. But inside the walls of Pepsi Center, Jokic’s prowess is well known.
“Good move, Joker, way to step up to the plate,” Kenneth Faried said. “Everybody got up on their feet, and was excited about it and Joker just showed what he can do and showed how good he is.”
